Flashstepper
by YellowTangerines
Summary: Dave was fast enough to take down the murderer who went after John, but not fast enough to save himself or his brother. A snake would be interested in giving Dave a speed boost, however. Homestuck crossover AU with Kagerou Project, no Sburb, no trolls. Spoilers for Kagerou Project! /Story 2 of Mekakustuck/
1. Heroism

_AN: Hello, everyone!  
I've had some success with _Red on a Green Ghost _, the story preceding this. I've been getting a couple of readers, nothing to brag about, but something nonetheless. That's why I decided to post the fic you're reading here,_ Flashstepper _! Enjoy._

* * *

 **Flashstepper**

Why was it so impossible to get from one point to another?

Dave vaulted over the scorched metal railing, eyes set on his bro and the massive black snake he was dueling. There was nothing but the snakefight up in the distance, he told himself. There was hot metal and burning air, but nothing else. Grinding gears, but nothing else. The words played in the coolkid's mind over and over again, chasing in a perfect circle, desperately reaffirming its truthfulness.

Except it wasn't truthful. It was a lie. As Dave deflected another flying cog with his shitty katana, he stifled the choking cough that rose in his throat. It reeked of cherry red blood everywhere he ran, staining the gears and trickling from the failures that laid in the spinning heat and clockwork. The failures looked like Dave exactly, down to the ends of the hair and the worn shoes – but they weren't him. They weren't him, and he would make it past the sharp mess of metal thorns, make it past this and that, and join the snakefight. There was no other acceptable way, groaning metal be damned, screw the shining magma below.

And just as Dave heard for the past ten-ish courses across the heat and clockwork, that snake had reached him again. He didn't even bother making eye contact with her this time, hearing her hisses and the molten rock burn him raw. _Give it up_ , said the snake. _You'll never be fast enough here, but I can help you with that_.

Never before had the snake ever said anything about help. Dave took a glance at the serpent towering over him. _Yes, you want me to grant that wish of yours, correct? You want to be fast enough, to prove yourself to your brother and to destroy that Jack Noir who threatened you and your friend…John, was it?_ The liquid fire spread. _That look in your eye says everything I need to know. So be it, then_.

The snake took one lash at Bro, suddenly standing by the magma, making him go limp. Dave had no time for shock, as darkness pulled his eyes shut and muted his thoughts.


	2. Normality

No one had really stepped forward to take care of Dave, so he ended up getting adopted.

For the first year, there was a lot of discord between the coolkid and the couple that so picked him on a whim. It was expected that there wouldn't be any more rooftop strifes, but was it so bad to have a sword or a pile of puppets around? Dave found it obvious quickly that he wasn't going to have any form of emotional connection with either adoptive parent he had found himself with, and so turned to the internet once again. He wondered how hard it had to be to find a guardian that could actually be warmed up to.

And yet, it was not a shitty upbringing. Adoptive Mom handed Dave a fairly decent hoodie for Christmas one year, and neither parent could be called abusive. Plus, they were in the Washington area and somehow ended up sending him to the school Nanna sent John to. Rose and Jade were quick to discover the conditions of their internet friends, the two providing support during days where the screeching metal still sounded and there was no such thing as reality. It was good support, even if it was pointed and snarky like with the former.

-tentacleTherapist [TT]began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]-

TT: Dave, could you spare me a moment of your time?  
TT: I have something to ask you.

TG: ok no  
TG: slow your roll  
TG: is this about august 15 again

TT: In more conservative western cultures, it is considered rude to interrupt a woman while she is speaking, or in this case typing.

TG: wow no  
TG: rose cant you see ive got a lot on my plate right now  
TG: i dont have time for more of your snarky flighty broad shit

TT: My vision is 20/20, but thank you for your concern over my eyesight.  
TT: And as for your inquiry, yes. Unfortunately enough for you, that is.  
TT: Look, I know you're not comfortable with me psychoanalyzing your behavior or dreams, but if you will divulge anything to me I ask that it is this.

TG: rose are you begging me for information now  
TG: is the grandiose sarcasm shtick not working out for you

TT: It works fine, thank you very much.  
TT: But this isn't the time for our usual battles of snark and irony.  
TT: There is a true necessity for knowledge in this.  
TT: First you and John mysteriously come back from the dead, now six new Pesterchum users show up, asking about eye colors? This is likely to concern your lives and safety.

TG: you know what rose  
TG: fine  
TG: i give in  
TG: im sticking my last shitty katana in the dirt where it will rust for all of fucking eternity  
TG: load your question cannons and fire away

TT: I'm glad you understand, Dave.  
TT: Now, I've been talking to our butchered English- using friends over Pesterchum, and I would like to know:  
TT: Do you think you display any supernatural powers? Odd phenomena that happen around you and only around you, perhaps?

TG: odd phenomena

TT: Yes, Dave. Please answer.

TG: ok i said id answer and now i am  
TG: the response i have typed out for you with the gentle finesse of a ballerina  
TG: up in her pointe shoes and spinning away on the beautiful stage that is my keyboard  
TG: is yes  
TG: yes i am now a fucking teen superhero with magical superpowers in some yet to be released comic book in which i am the star  
TG: its me

TT: Interesting.  
TT: And what would you say happens during these abnormal happenings?

TG: everyones perception of time including my own  
TG: gets fucked up  
TG: take a step down the hallway before the blue doors close on you  
TG: and im at the other end  
TG: other people keep telling me to slow my roll but how am i supposed to do that when i dont even know my roll is at mach 7

TT: So you've gained the ability to pchoo.

TG: no youve got it wrong rose theres no pchoo  
TG: some kids in like the previous grade or something tell me i get blurry as hell though

TT: In other words, you've gained the ability to...  
TT: Flashstep? Like you said your brother used to?

TG: not really  
TG: ok yeah it is flashstepping basically but not bros flashstepping  
TG: his was a well orchestrated optical illusion i couldnt ever copy if i tried never mind figure out beyond the fact its an optical illusion  
TG: im pretty sure those dont fool the person whos making them

TT: I see.  
TT: Any remarks by people on your eye color or pupil shape?  
TT: Wait.  
TT: Don't answer that. I know your sick shades obscure your eyes. But if you could do me a favor, Dave?

TG: rose i said you could ask me questions not favors

TT: Maybe you did.  
TT: But I'll tell you what to do anyways.  
TT: Sometime at school, stop wearing your shades. Take them off, and look in a mirror.  
TT: See what happens.  
TT: And if you're wondering, this is the only favor I will ask you. In return, I will never psychoanalyze your dreams again.  
TT: Deal?

TG: fine  
TG: deal  
TG: and thats my cue to leave  
TG: later rose

-turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]-

* * *

As the rest of the boys in the locker room were chatting and locking up their tote boxes, Dave was standing still in front of a mirror. He lifted his hands up to the temples of his shades, took them in three fingers and slid them off. Two circles of dark red stared Dave back in the mirror for the first time in a long while, sharp in colour and form compared to the shades he was so used to wearing. He continued to make eye contact. Rose said to wait for something to happen, right? So, what would happen?

Oh and there it was again. A familiar drowsiness took hold of Dave's mind, quickly giving way to a brisk head shake. Even so, his form continued to lose its clarity in the glass, where eye contact was maintained all the while. But wait. Were his pupils _supposed_ to be so narrow? Dave was certain now that it was a trick of the light, but it couldn't be. The black shapes in the center of his eyes – now a more vivid shade of crimson than they used to be – looked like they belonged to some fictional monster, photoshopped onto a human body. This, Dave was not used to. Losing his composed façade for a moment, he stepped backwards…

…And promptly crashed back-first into a kid tying his shoelaces. Mumbling some quick apology, Dave stepped up, beginning to normal abscond from the scene. But from below him, a voice shouted _"_ the _hell_ is wrong with your eyes?!"

Now everyone was staring. Absconding was impossible. Murmurs began to spring from even the backs of the fairly large locker room, as the boys back there stepped ever closer to see what happened. Dave put a foot in the direction of the mirror where he had left his shades, automatically arriving as expected, and with the other foot had left the scene. There was only a squeaking door to signify that a flashstepping, weird-eyed student was ever there.

He swore that would be the last time he ever did any favours for Rose.


	3. Decelerate

Also defined as 'Slow your fucking roll'. Or at least, that's what the other boys in Dave's homeroom would have told him. If he wasn't trying to not be away from them. Of course, if he avoided them, they avoided him. Otherwise, no one knew anything. It was a win-win situation. Right?

Not right. The school teachers had now been moved to an even higher level of alert concerning Dave's flashstepping, and instead of just calling after him in the hallways were now on the verge of bringing in parents. It was the same threat from homeroom to gym to random office person whose name had been forgotten, but it was a threat nonetheless. Some other students, who had overheard the warning to the coolkid, had even started theorizing about everything that happened. A metaphor about being a shitty YA novel male protagonist arose in Dave's mind, but it felt sour. Maybe too cringey for the forces of the universe to allow expression of, but definitely barred by his shitty mood. Once again, though, that was what the internet was for. Google your worries away – or, talk to someone on Pesterchum.

-woodsySika [WS] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]-

WS: Hey, hey!

TG: sup  
TG: shit i forgot your name

WS: Seto!

TG: seto right  
TG: let me ask you something

WS: Yeah?

TG: about the eye abilities you guys deal with  
TG: like youve been having those magical powers since the days when sesame street or whatever you watch in japan was the hottest shit  
TG: and that basically makes you as strong as ancient masters with deep and sacred lineage that dates back to before the era of civilzation  
TG: its something like that right  
TG: seto

WS: Ssomething like that...  
WS: Ah, sorry. Something.  
WS: Did you say you had a question?

TG: yeah i did  
TG: your danchou or whatever you call her  
TG: she put up some advice on how to deal with eyes for the uninitiated and unworthy of the sacred lineage  
TG: mind repeating some of that

WS: Aah, excuse me.  
WS: I don't remember.  
WS: So, please contact Danchou.  
WS: She should be available.

TG: sounds great seto  
TG: later

-turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering woodsySika [WS]-

Seto wondered if most kids in the USA made such elaborate and confusing metaphors.

-turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering covertCommander [CC]-

CC: Hey

TG: hey  
TG: your friend seto told me to talk to you if i wanted to know about eye abilities  
TG: so

CC: Sure

CC: What do you want to know?

TG: not much  
TG: shit about control maybe

CC: Sure  
CC: Tell me about your ability.  
CC: Don't feel bad. Asking for help is okay  
CC: Not embarassing

TG: ok then thanks  
TG: im the flashstepping one

CC: I see  
CC: If I correctly remember  
CC: Your ability ruins perception of time  
CC: For yourself and others.

TG: ruins is a pretty strong word but yeah youre good

CC: No, I'm not good...  
CC: But I'm off topic.  
CC: So, what helps people? It's different for everyone. For Seto, making a friend helped. For me, just trying harder to control is fine. For others like Momo, it was a combination  
CC: Examine what works for you. You will find it

TG: sounds good  
TG: uh  
TG: shit i forgot your name too

CC: Kido

TG: right thanks kido later

-turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering covertCommander [CC]-

"Trying harder to control" would just have to cut it. It wouldn't be right otherwise, Dave convinced himself. What would his friends think, what kind of honour would it do Bro's memory if that didn't work? It had to work. It would work.

Or at least, that's what he told himself. Funny how it all started and ended with self-deception, huh?


	4. Halfway

Two snakes down, two more to go.

Marry thought it a shame that the snakes of Projecting Eyes and Blurring Eyes had landed in the United States, where it would be harder for them to serve their purposes.

Of course, with all that would happen after a reset, that shame would become repressed. But with what little contact the Mekakushi Dan had made with John and Dave, something more was learned. Every timeline was a little closer to a new Route 1, even if it wasn't enough to simply have Retaining Eyes on board.

Two left. There had to be a Route out there where the other two snakes could find hearts to gulp. Already Marry had found a timeline where Blurring Eyes made it through, right? And if it was possible for all four to find a host, somewhere in the bounds of paradox space such a Route did exist.

Time to reset again.

 **End**

* * *

 _AN: Welp, that's the last chapter for_ Flashstepper _! I really hope you enjoyed this, but I guess that's to be expected? Haha.  
Fun facts: _Normality _and_ Decelerate _went through a bunch of rewrites before becoming the chapters you saw here. They needed more Dave. Because a Dave character arc needs Dave. Massive rewrites are some sort of constant across this series._  
 _Anyways, thank you for reading_ Flashstepper _! Comments and criticism will be much appreciated. ~YellowTangerines_  
 _EDIT: First chapter was missing story title, also there was a random apostrophe here. I'll try not to let this happen again. Sorry. ~YellowTangerines_


End file.
